Chapter Thirteen
Tara was ready to hike back down the mountain before the sun could turn the sky from gray to blue. The rain had stopped in the early morning hours, but hiking in the dark wasn’t safe. She hadn’t slept much, all cramped up on that tiny couch while Kace slept on the floor, using his pack as a pillow. He had refused to take the couch or to allow her to put the cushions on the floor for them to share. He had wanted her to be comfortable even when he hadn’t been.
Now she followed him down the trail with a nice view of his ass. She tried not to groan. Her body begged for more heavy petting, but her mind wouldn’t allow it. She needed to know Royce was back home safe and sound.
Could she try to give this thing between them a chance once she had her life in order? Or should she heed her promise never to get involved with another athlete? Why were affairs of the heart so confusing? Having a friend she could trust with her knotted worries would be nice.
“I sent a text to Gage and Jett to let them know we’re on our way back,” he said over his shoulder.
“Did Gage say if Royce came home?” She tripped over a rock poking up out of the ground but righted herself before she fell on her face.
“He and Izzi didn’t stay after you called. Drew probably kept him at his house. Don’t worry, babe. Royce is fine.”
She wished she could be as sure as he was. The trail spread open into the clearing where they had parked the day before. Her chest filled with a cleansing breath and stuck in her throat.
Kace’s truck wasn’t the only one there.
“What the hell are you two doing here?” Kace shook his head and slid his pack off his back. The bad-boy scowl had returned as he eyed his brothers.
She wasn’t in the mood for a sibling blowout. She wanted to get home to her son, take a cold shower, and maybe, just maybe, get through the day without incident.
Jett leaned against a navy-blue truck that gleamed in the morning sun. His baseball cap was on backward. He narrowed his eyes as Kace approached and crossed his arms over his chest.
Gage stood near the sheriff’s car. He wore his uniform complete with gun and a scowl to rival Kace’s. She bit the inside of her cheek. These men were all the same—strong, determined, and pigheaded.
“Are you nuts hiking up this trail in your condition when a storm was on the way?” Jett pushed off the truck.
“Hi, Tara,” Gage said.
“Hey, Gage.”
“When are you going to stop acting like Mom? There is nothing wrong with me.” Kace squared his shoulders and widened his stance. He wasn’t going to back down, and she did not want to stick around to watch.
“Then why didn’t you make it back down the trail in time?” Jett stood inches from Kace, also ready for a showdown. They acted like wolves vying for the alpha spot. If she had been wondering about starting up with another arrogant athlete, maybe this was proof why she shouldn’t.
“What I do in my spare time is my business. I didn’t need you showing up here this morning as if I’m some dumb guest who’s never been on a trail before. I can fucking live in the woods with nothing more than a pocketknife just as well as you can. Did you come here to take my temperature too?” He glared at Gage.
“I’m only here to make sure you two don’t go at it.” Gage held up his hands.
“Go to work, Gage.” Kace fished his keys out of his pack.
“Tara, can you let Gage drive you back? I need to speak with Kace,” Jett said.
“Sure.” She wasn’t going to argue with Jett. He was her boss, and she wasn’t entirely sure what the rules were for fraternizing with family members. She didn’t want Jett or Gage to get the idea something had happened between them last night.
“No. She rides with me.” He turned to her. “You ride with me,” he said as if he laid claim to her.
“Kace, talk with your brother. I have to get back to my son.” She didn’t want to start a fight, but he couldn’t order her around. Her guess was the pain in his eyes wasn’t from his headaches. He hated the way his family handled him, and she was ditching him after last night when he had come to her aid.
His brothers meant well, but they didn’t see what their worrying was doing to Kace. He wanted them to treat him the same as before, and that was why he wasn’t telling them he was still hurting. This family had suffered a terrible tragedy. They wanted to prevent another tragedy from happening. Only, these men—who liked being in control—didn’t seem to realize that they didn’t have that kind of power.
“Tara, my brother doesn’t get to tell me what to do. Please let me take you back.” He turned to Jett. “Whatever you have to say to me can wait.”
“Gage, I’ll take that ride.” She had to be the one to decide. He couldn’t put her in between him and Jett. That wasn’t fair. She certainly couldn’t solve their problems, and considering the determined look on Jett’s face, he wasn’t leaving until he had his say.
“You’re going to leave without me? After last night?” He echoed her earlier thoughts.
The hurt in his voice made her want to run to him and smooth the crease between his brows. But he had to understand her job was important to her too. She wouldn’t jeopardize it because of a family squabble. It wasn’t as if they were a couple. No matter what happened last night.
“I need to see if Royce is at home or with his father. Thank you for the hike.” Her heart broke for the pain he was in, for his desperation for his family to understand him, and for adding to that hurt.
She slid into the car beside Gage. From his profile, he looked so much like Kace her chest ached. Loyalty was important to Kace. She might have ruined his trust in her by leaving him behind with Jett after insisting yesterday on their climb she would never leave him agonized. What had she gotten herself into with this man? And did she want a way out?
****
“You can’t get involved with her.” Jett stood between him and the door to his truck.
Kace wanted to go home and have a hot shower and a strong cup of coffee. Was that too much to ask for after the night he’d had?
“Jett, get out of my way.” He dodged right, but Jett matched his slow steps. Hopefully, Jett wouldn’t notice the lag in his response.
“Did you fuck her?”
“Say that again, and I’m going to hit you.” He didn’t have an ounce of patience left. The second he saw Jett and Gage, the pain began to pound in his head. The lack of sleep and the long hike wreaked havoc on his anxiety. And now Tara ditched him as if what they had shared last night didn’t count for anything.
He could reason she was worried about Royce and her job. She still didn’t trust him to take care of that for her. He would not allow Jett to fire her because of him. He might not want to work on the ranch, but as long as he was still breathing, he was a Ryker, and he would have a say about who worked for them.
Jett pulled off his cap, scratched his head, and shoved it back on. “You like her.” It wasn’t a question. “I’m not sure what’s worse. You actually having feelings for her, or you doing your usual ‘sleep with them and forget about them’ thing.”
“We’re just friends.” After she pulled away from him last night, he didn’t expect there to be anything more between them, but she had kissed him as if she wanted him. Something spooked her. He should have taken things slower, but while he had his hands on her, the fog in his brain lifted. His blood pumped as if he were racing on the track. He had wanted her. Maybe she wouldn’t have run off with Gage if she had given him a chance to show her what she did to him. He wasn’t being fair. She needed to get to Royce. He understood that.
“You can’t get involved with an employee. You know the rule.”
“I don’t work here. And I told you—we’re just friends. Now get out of my way.” He would throw the first punch if he had to make Jett move, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to fight his brother, and the dizziness would make him an easy target. He couldn’t let Jett beat him.
“You’re part owner, dumb shit. If things go south with her, she could say you forced yourself on her. I don’t need another lawsuit after the last one. Especially one that says an owner sexually harassed an employee.”
“Is that what you came out here to tell me? Don’t screw the help? That could have waited.”
Jett didn’t move. “If you stay away from her, I’ll let you sell your share of the ranch.”
“It’s that important to you that I don’t date her?” Jett’s offer was a punch to the gut. Did he think Tara was too good for him? Or that she wouldn’t want the likes of a driver at the end of his career? Did Jett suspect he still wasn’t feeling well and thought Tara wouldn’t want to be with him if he were sick?
“You could go out with Kennedy. She’s been following you around like a lost puppy. A year ago, you would’ve jumped at the chance to get into her bed.”
“It’s not a year ago. I don’t like Kennedy that way. I’ve tried to tell her in as nice a way as I could. If something were to happen between me and Tara—and I’m not saying it would—you would have to deal with it.”
“Then you aren’t going to sell your share?” Jett’s smug smile made his insides boil.
He pushed Jett away from the door, and this time he went willingly. “Oh, I’m going to sell.” He slid into the truck and kicked over the engine, giving it enough gas to make it roar. “And there’s not a fucking thing you can do to stop me.”
He peeled out and left Jett in the dust. His head pounded. He hadn’t told Jett the whole truth. He wanted to be more than Tara’s friend. He wanted her in a way he had never wanted another woman.
He would have to fight for her. He’d make her see that he was worth a risk. He knew about risks. Calculated risks that paid off. He could be that kind of risk for her if she’d give him a chance.